Nightmares and Hope
by Dark Kitten Saki
Summary: Naru/Hina Hinata is always picked on! Why won't everyone just leave her alone? And why is Naruto standing up for her? Please r&r! re-rated for the last time, promise! oh and NO LEMON rating is to be safe
1. Prologue: Finding Her

Nightmares and Hope

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I own nothing people.

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Naruto: Yay! She's finally getting to our story, Hina!

Hinata: :)

Saki: No needed to break your bet with Naruto, Hina-chan the story'll speak for it's self!

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BTW:

Hinata: 7 years old

Naruto: 9 years old

Neji: 10 years old

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Why were they so mean to her? Just because she was quiet and shy didn't mean she didn't hear what people said about her. In fact, because she didn't use her voice almost at all she had more sensitive hearing and touch. She was hiding in a dark corner of an alley, curled with her arms around her legs and her head on her knees sobbing quietly. She could hear people talking at the mouth of the alley. They were popular people from her school. They were talking and laughing at her, even now. One of them, the only voice that didn't seam to be laughing, stopped at the mouth of the alley. The group kept walking for a few steps then stopped too and turned around. "Naruto? What's up?"

"You guys go ahead. I don't want to hang out with people who are gunna to make fun of people because they're different. So, get away from me," Naruto, the most popular boy in school, said and he glared at them like he'd kill them right there; right where they stood. If looks could kill they'd have been dead blocks ago.

Not knowing what else to do they ran, as fast as they could away from there. Even though they were all the same age they knew not to anger each other and knew what each other were capable of. They knew Naruto was the most advanced in the class.

Once they were out of sight, Naruto turned down that dead end alley, straight to her. She looked up at him distraught and confused. He just looked at her quietly and smiled gently, as if not to scare her. "Are you alright, Hinata-chan?" he asked quietly, holding out his hand for her to take. She nodded her head slowly, yes. "Good!" he said enthusiastically. "Now, what do you say we get out of here?" he said more than asked. 

Hinata nodded slowly and grabbed his hand. "Great!" he said as he started walking with his hand still in hers, "Do ya wanna get some ramen? You ran before lunch right? You must be starvin'!" Hinata looked at him wide eyed and nodded slowly. They made their way to the ramen stand and Naruto bought lunch for them. As they eat Naruto didn't bring up why she ran, or why she would talk to him, he understood. So he told her about his childhood, about growing up alone. And she just listened. They had just finish, lunch and his story when Neji ran up.

"There you are Hinata-chan! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Neji said testily.

"Calm down, Neji. Hinata's had a hard day okay. I'll walk her home in an hour." Naruto said as he saw her start to hang her head. Neji harrumphed and stomped away. "I guess that's a yes. Huh, Hina?" Naruto chuckled. Hinata looked at him for a moment and laughed, too.

**45 minutes of walking through the park later…**

"I guess I better take you home huh, Hina," Naruto said. Hinata nodded looking own and slowing her step. "Hey," he said quietly, "we'll see each other tomorrow." Hinata looked up and nodded more happily, "and if people start sayin' mean stuff 'bout you again you come find me 'kay?" he asked. Hinata grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Good," he said when they got to the door, "you aren't alone anymore, Hina, you have a friend now." Her eyes stung with tears and she hugged him hard. Naruto smiled and hugged her back. "I gotta go now, Hina, so I'll see tomorrow, right?" he asked. Hinata nodded against his chest then pulled away and went inside.

It went on like that for years. Hinata made new friends thanks to Naruto, and talked a little more but was reluctant to let anyone except Naruto close. Until the day the village sent him off to war…

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Tell me what you thought, please!

-Saki


	2. War

Hinata: Yay! I won the bet!

Saki: _sigh _Hina-chan did you really think you wouldn't?

Hinata: Nope! I was hoping to make Naru come out of the corner

Saki: (still typing) watch this. **Naru-chan I just made some ramen do ya want some?**

Naruto: Where is it?! (runs off in search of the ramen)

Hinata: (stares after him)

Saki: That worked well... :)

Hinata: Enjoy the story!

Naruto: (from somewhere far off) **Where's... the... ramen!?**

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I own nothing.

_Chapter 1: War_

Hinata: 14 years old

Naruto: 15 years old

Neji: 16 years old

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"I have to leave tomorrow, Hina." He told her, as they sat on a park bench beneath a Sakura tree that was bare in the falls ending cold and winters beginning, with his head down and his hands between his knees. If you could paint misery you'd paint Naruto. "I don't want to leave. I wanna stay and make sure people are nice to you, I don't trust anyone else to keep you safe."

Hinata smiled gently and put her hand on his shoulder blade, "I know Naru." Even though they where the only people around she whispered. He looked up at her.

"_Maybe _I'll let Neji _try _to take care of you…" he whispered back. His eyes… eyes that were usually so full of happiness and life were now so sad and defeated. "Just promise me you'll stay close to Sakura while I'm gone," he paused, "At least I know she can intimidate any baka-teme (A/N: teme- bastard and baka- stupid/idiot) enough to keep them away from you." He was almost talking to himself now.

"Don't worry, Naru. You sound like you're making a death wish! I'll be fine; I'll stick to Sakura like glue until you're home safe and sound, okay? It's you, you should be worried about." She whispered to him. "I'll come to see you off tomorrow, okay? But, right now Neji is calling me home for dinner." He nodded. "And I'm the quiet one?"Naruto chuckled and his face relaxed a little.

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Hinata was hugging Naruto one last time before he left her not by choice. As she pulled back, he kissed her softly for a few seconds. At first she was surprised and didn't react than she kissed him back shyly. As he pulled away he whispered, "I love you, Hinata Hyuga.'' and he left while she was still dazed. She didn't see him again for five years. 

Always regretting never telling him she felt the same. But, she kept her promise and stayed very close to Sakura. That is until the summer when Naruto came back.

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Okay, peeps that's "War". Hope ya'll liked it because I wrote this at 1:48 a.m. So I'm a little tired. .

Saki :-)


	3. 2 Quick Corrections

Okay people quick corrections:

In "Finding Her":

Hinata would**n't** talk to him. I said she would.

In "War":

I said Hinata was 14 well she's not she was 13 years old.

Sorry!!

Saki


	4. The Unusual Reunion

_Chapter 2: The Unusual Reunion_

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Naruto: Do you have to tell this one…?

Saki: Yes, Naruto.

Hinata: I do like this part…

Naruto: O.o

Hinata: N-no, not that way…! -O.O-

Saki: Naruto, shut up and let me type; Hinata help me with what happened…

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They thought he was dead. That's what they said. But, he wasn't. Here he was hobbling close to death but determined to get back to his village, and he would even if he died trying. He had just made it to the gates and that is where he passed out.

"Lady Sakura! Lady Sakura! It's Uzumaki! He's alive!" One ninja yelled bursting into the office. "Oh! Lady Hyuga I didn't know you were here…"

"Never mind where is he now?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"They're bringing him in now. He collapsed at the front gate madam. He's pretty ruffed up."

"That is all, thank you," Sakura said dismissing him, "Hinata-chan, I want you to take care of him. If I know him he'll be awake and trying to get out of here soon unless he has mass amounts of supervision. Since you're the only nurse that has a chance of handling him I'll inform the other nurses that unless they want to deal with Naru-kun they'll not complain about the extra work."

"Yes, Saku-chan!"

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This wasn't good. His scalp was spit and trickling blood (the rest was caked), His skull seemed to be cracked, his left humerus (arm) was broken in three places and cracked in one, his clavicle (collarbone) was popped out of place, the last floating ribs on either side were broken, on his left he broke two False ribs and three True ribs. His left lung was almost totally collapsed. He also sprained his ankle well and broke his big toe. 

Naruto was in serious trouble. But Hinata braced his ankle, and his big toe. Then she casted all of the ribs, and his arm, plus, popped his clavicle into place. As for his lung she got a drainage tube in there to fix that. Now his head… she cleaned off the blood and gave him one hundred sixty-five stitches in his head.

In the middle of cleaning the lesser wounds, he woke up. "Just rest now, Naru. I'm watching over you; you're all right now," she soothed. Surprisingly, that worked because he fell asleep easily.

It took two weeks for Naruto to stay awake the whole day. Sakura came to see him sometimes but only when see ate lunch, she had no time otherwise. (Hey, running a hospital has to be hard, right?) But, Hinata was always there. Just being with him was enough. The hospital finally released him a month and a half later. But, since he would only go home with no one there, Hinata volunteered her house for his recuperation. She was his nurse after all… right?

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Okay people, what did ya think? This one took a surprising amount of time. Well, I guess the research I did on bones had to do with that… Aw well! And people with there head in the gutter nothing is going to happen.

Tell me what ya thought, please!

Saki


	5. Waking up

**Nightmares and Hope**

_Chapter 3: Waking Up_

I own nothing. I own nothing. I own nothing. Am I in Kansas yet?

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Naruto didn't wake up for a long time, partly because of the sedatives that she had to give him. Plus, he wouldn't have been happy. At this moment in time, he was bedridden. They wouldn't let him go home; even if he wasn't right now because he wouldn't be able to get around, and because he could hurt himself easily. As if that wasn't enough, since Hinata said so he stayed, the only person higher up than her was Sakura.

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Finally, Naruto woke up, but he was alone and he had no idea of where he was. The room was bleach white, so either it was a hospital or a laboratory. Most likely though, it was a hospital. Labs weren't this comfortable. Didn't have this cheery under tone of hope. Labs… were dark, hopeless… suffocating… He shuttered and grimaced in pain. He could hear foot steps, they were quiet and quick. Rushing… not necessarily confident… but… a nervous rush…? His senses were acute now. On total alert. The door quietly opened and a woman with long black hair, and pale lavender eyes looked at him, she seemed surprised, and carrying a tray of something.

"Naruto!" Hinata exclaimed, "You're wake! How are you feeling?" She set down the tray on the bed side table.

"Where am I?" Naruto groaned. His hand went to his head and he froze. He felt stitches, now he noticed the casts and hints of what he knew should have been immense pain. He also realized something else… he couldn't move his legs, couldn't twist, he could only move his head and arms. "What are you people going to do to me?"He was turning hostile fast.

"N-naruto…" she seemed shocked," You're in Konoha Hospital. We're trying to save you. You almost died…" she took a minute to collect herself again. "Does anything hurt over much?" She seemed genuinely concerned. She seemed familiar.

"No, it's not too bad. A bit of a headache, but not bad," he replied looking away. He'd made it to Konoha. He'd made it home.

"I'm going to change your bandages now, Naruto, okay," it was a question/statement. She stood over him, close to the tray she'd set down. "Then I'll get us some lunch."

"If this is a hospital," he started, "then why don't I hear anyone else?" He was becoming suspicious. There was always rushing in Konoha Hospital.

"No one wanted to try to keep you in bed," the woman replied, calmly. She didn't even seem nervous around him in the slightest. Who was this woman?

"Then why are you?" he asked harshly. His eyes were so hard… so cold… He looked ready to defend himself… even if it meant killing her…

"Because we're friends, Naru. And I asked Sakura, who is head of the hospital now, to leave you to me and unless anyone wanted to try to take care of you they would leave this part of the wing," she said. Naruto inhaled in preparation to sigh and gasped in pain. He felt battered and bruised. "Are you all right?" the woman looked worried and sad. "I can get you something for the pain."

"Yes, I just didn't realize I had broken ribs…" he replied trying to breathe. As the woman bent over his head to change the bandage over his forehead, he could almost smell the worry on her; but, when he inhaled he did smell something, lavender and Honeysuckle. Hinata. He looked into her eyes stunned. So stunned that he just lay there and his brain seemed to turn off. He distantly felt her swab his arm and then he got very sleepy. But she stayed close so he didn't mind, as long as she was close…

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Hope you liked it!! Thanks for readin'!! Please review!!

Saki


	6. Home Again

**Nightmare's and Hope**

_Chapter 4: Home Again_

Once again, I own nothing, people! Arigato.

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She heard him waking. She opened her eyes, for she had been dozing lightly on the couch in the private hospital room. She walked over to the side of his bed and sat down in a chair."Are you hungry, Naru? I'm sorry I promised lunch…" Hinata looked sheepish.

Naruto nodded looking up at her sleepily, "Lunch sounds good, Hina." He yawned widely then winced.

"We'll eat and then I'll get you some meds again," she told him gently getting up. "I'll be right back, okay?" she said walking through the doorway, "holler if you need anything."

She was back in five minutes. "I'm back, Naru." She smiled her quiet smile that never failed to get his heart pumping.

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They kept him in the hospital like that for two weeks. Then they integrated people back into the wing again. They did it slowly so not to overwhelm either of them with so much hustle and bustle. They had gotten used to solitude over the month. Naruto was finally released after six months in the hospital. It was a week after Naruto got home that Hinata went to see him.

Hinata walked slowly, walking past shop after shop. Not really paying attention, she was the one who had taken care of his apartment while he was gone all those years after all.

"Kiuuuu!" Hinata looked to her left, where the noise came from, and saw a little fox in the window of a pet shop. The little kawaii orange thing looked at her though little brown eyes and she walked into the store.

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At Naruto's Apartment…

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Hinata walked up to the door with a little carrier in her hand. She knocked on the door of his apartment. She could hear him shuffle around. "Naru!" She called through the door, "It's me!" The door opened slowly and it was only enough to see his face.

"What do you want, Hina?" his voice was gruff, angry... exhausted. He looked haggard and tired. His face was taught with stress and pale.

"Naru?" Hinata asked uncertainly. "May I come in?" she didn't look at his face; it was too painful to see it that way, so she looked straight ahead at his chest. He sighed and moved aside. "Arigato," she said quietly and passed into his apartment where she froze at what she saw.

"Surprised, Hina," he said harshly, unrepentantly. He sneered at her. The once ginger colored walls were brown with dirt and the paint was cracked and peeling. Every room looked like a tornado had gone through them.

"A little, but I don't mind, Naruto," she smiled gently. "I brought you something!" She gesture to the crate in her hand.

"Why…?" Naruto asked with his forehead pressed against the closed door, "Why in the world would you come here and bring me something, anything!" He turned wild azure eyes onto her. "Why! I'm just a washed up ninja!" he started to advance. "Not worthy of the ground you stand on! Not worthy of your kindness! Why would you help… me?" That last word, "me", was chocked on a sob. "Why…" he whispered in a tortured voice. He bowed his head in defeat.

Hinata, still recovering from that shock, set down the crate and took a step forward to him. He looked so broken it hurt. She collected herself then spoke. "Because, you're my friend Naru. My best friend who saved me from loneliness, and fear. Because you gave me a reason to be proud, gave me a reason to stand tall in a crowd. My reason is my best friend… Uzumaki Naruto."

He didn't look up. His shoulders just shook harder. Then Hinata closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. After a moment Naruto's arms clamped around her like he was drowning and she was the only one who could save him, and he cried. His tears scalded her shoulder and crushed her heart. It killed to see him so broken and hurt. She pulled him closer and sat them on the couch.

After a long while Naruto's tears stopped flowing and he lifted his head from her shoulder. He didn't look at her. She knew he would be embarrassed so she didn't mind. "Are you hungry, Naru?" He nodded, his eye were trained on the ragged carpet. "Then you rest, I'll make you some ramen." He nodded again, so she got up and let the little fox out as Naruto on his side on the couch. Hinata went to the kitchen then to make the ramen just as Naruto fell asleep; the little fox sniffled at him then, deciding he liked his new owner, curled up beside his stomach the little fox fell asleep, too.

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Arigato for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! Please let me know what your thoughts are! (please review or a sleepy Kyubi (the little fox) will come after you and with pleading eyes that will make you feel guilty!)

Saki


	7. Lunch!

**Nightmares and Hope**

_Chapter 5: Lunch!_

I own nothing!

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She walked over to the boy and his fox and smiled lightly. "Naru? Lunch is ready," she said quietly. She waited a second. "Naru? The ramen's done," she repeated, placing a hand on his unpinned shoulder (A/N: he's on his side you remember.) Naruto's eyes shot open and they were feral, wild, and he grabbed her wrist. "It's me, Naru. Only me," Hinata soothed as he slowly let go of her wrist.

"Sorry, Hina…" he looked away, "bad memories…" He shuttered and said nothing more so she didn't press.

"Come get your lunch, Naru," she said gently. That was it. And they walked into the kitchen.

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"What are you going to name him?"Hinata asked quietly, her smile sweetly innocent.

Naruto swallowed his mouthful of ramen. He looked almost nervous of the sweet little thing. "Kyubi," he replied quickly as if to hide his unease. He went back to eating; only he ate a little faster. He actually was nervous, she realized.

"Naru, why don't you go take a nap… your last one didn't seem all that rest full…" Hinata suggested after lunch. He looked uneasy for a quick second but it was gone just as quickly.

"I don't know," he said, "that wouldn't be fair to you… after all you did come all the way across town just to see me…" He was stalling and they both knew it.

"Don't worry I'll just clean quietly or something," she replied brightly. Panic skittered across his face for a moment. What was going on?! Naru… panicked? "Here," she said making the couch actually comfortable, "Just rest your eyes then. You look really tired, Naru."

He finally gave in and rested on the couch while she got cleaning supplies from under the sink. After a few seconds he was asleep.

That's when the problem began…

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Arigato for reading! I hope you enjoyed it even if it was short... gomen! Please review!!

Saki


	8. Terrors

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**

Nightmares and Hope

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_Chapter 6: Terrors_

Disclamer: -deep breath- I. Own. Nothing. OKAY!

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Naruto: YOU LIE!! grrrr

Hinata: Now Naru-

Naruto: YOU SAID YOU'D HAVE IT UP FRIDAY, IT'S SATURDAY!!

Me: (in little kitten from cowering in the corner, crying with paws over my head) Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!

Hinata: -sigh- Naru...

Me: -Whimper-

Naruto: (Torturing me in the corner)

Hinata: NARUTO!! Enough torturing Saki-kitty-chan and making her cry! Or she won't make you anymore homemade ramen.

Naruto: -gulp!- (backing away slowly) Gomen nasai, Saki-sama! Gomen nasai!!

Me: -sigh of relief- Arigato Hina-chan! -rubs against her leg purring- All right Naruto I forgive you. There's ramen in the frig.

Naruto: Yay!! -runs off-

Me: -shout- Leave some for Kyubi!! He likes it too ya know!!

Hinata: Please review!!

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_They left him for dead. But, he wasn't. Dead, that is. Almost but not yet. It was as if hell itself didn't want him. Wasn't it enough that he watched Obito die, his best friend, get blown to bits by a faulty grenade? Wasn't it enough to watch his comrades massacred left, right and center? Hadn't hat been enough? Hadn't he relived this horror enough times? Hasn't seeing Hinata's understanding, but crushed sweet face over and over every time he closed his eyes during that war?! It was enough to kill him! But the thought of her face if they told her he died… He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't! He had to keep fighting!!_

"Naruto! Wake up!" Her sweet voice insisted, "Please, Naru!" She seemed panicked close to tears.

"Hinata," was all he thought, did he say it out loud? Hopefully he did, maybe she'd calm down a bit until he could make himself move.

"Yes, I'm here," she moved closer. "Naru? Can you open your eyes?" He was right. It clamed her a little. Good.

"Ya, Honey, give me a minute." He had to force open his dopey eyes. She looked shocked. "What? I told you before I left, Hina, but if it makes ya feel better I'll tell ya again." He paused glad he had a reason not to talk about that dream. But, knew he should tell her again so she didn't think _that_ had changed. "I love you, Hinata." He knew that wouldn't change. But she didn't. It hit him then. "You… you don't have a… boyfriend… do you?"

"N-no," she stuttered still stunned. "I've been yours since the day you found me in that baka alley after school." He smiled at the memory. Something he didn't do very often anymore.

She knelt down beside him and looked him in the eye, "And I love you." He gaped. "You didn't give me the chance to tell you last time." She smiled. "Now, what was that nightmare about, my love?" He just looked at her startled. "Naru?" she placed her hand on his cheek. He shivered and she could feel the cold sweat. He just shook violently. His eyes were wide and glazed with horror. He was having a panic attack! "Naru?" He turned those terrifying eyes on her in acknowledgement. "Naru, love? Calm down… It's all right. You'll be okay." She scooped up his shoulders and pulled his upper half into a hug. "Shhh. Naru, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. Shhh," she cooed. He clung to her like a drowning man might to a life jacket in a storm. "I'm sorry," was all she could say. She said it like a mantra, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…. I'm sorry….." It hurt her to see him like this, killed her really. After a while he calmed down.

He heard her over and over say, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…. I'm sorry….." It hurt that she though she had done anything wrong. But all he could do was lie there and relive every scream of agony, every cry of terror, and hearing the echo of Mizuki's voice saying he was dead. To come back to find out that out of the thirty in his squad only he and Sasuke got back to the Village alive. The rest of them… well, they made Obito's remains look handsome, and him and Sasuke look like gods come to Earth to grace people with their beauty. Hinata didn't deserve this. Thinking every time he lapsed into this hell it was her fault… He could smell her all around him and that's what kept him sane.

"Hinata," he said hoarsely. "Not… your… fault…" he gasped out. "These… damn… memories… are… killing… me."

"Naru?" she sniffled. Damn… She was crying. He weakly stroked her hair a little in silent comfort.

"I'm okay," he said hoarsely. "Or I will be in a few minutes." He put his forehead on her shoulder again. He was still breathing heavily.

"Then I will tell you about my terror…"

* * *

Naruto: o wa u fink?

Hinata: Finish your mouthful then try again, Naru. -.-;

Naruto: So what ya think? Hey! that does work better!

Me: Think he'll remember?

Hinata: Not a chance.

Hinata and me: -look at each other- 3...2..1.

Naruto: ple revw!

Hinata: -sigh- He means... Please review!!

Me: Arigato for reading!!

-Saki


	9. Nightmares

**Nightmares and Hope**

Chapter 7: Nightmares...

I own nothing.

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Naruto: ha!! finally the end of our story, Hina!! Took you long enough!! -glares at me-

Me: Hey! I have homework you know!! And a mountain of it!! I put it off all weekend to get this typed up for you!! -tears-

Hinata: Naruto!! Don't you dare make her cry!

Naruto: Or what? -smirks-

Hinata: No ramen... -Naruto gets realllllly small- for a month... -grins evilly-

Naruto: Gomen, Saki-chan...

Me: -sniffs- 's okay. I didn't have to type this ya know.

Hinata: But you were doing me a favor.

Me: That's why I did it!

Hinata: :)

Naruto: -sighs- On with the story -.-; -girly chatter in the background-

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He didn't calm down… Not for a long time… He was shaking violently. His eyes looked like a horses during a thunderstorm, wild with small pupils. The ever fearless Naruto… was terrified. His breathing was labored, pained as if he'd just run a marathon. His heart… ran like he'd just been told to rush enemy lines head on with no weapons, no shields and no help. He was terrified. Absolutely terrified.

Finally, he was able to calm himself a little. He lifted his head. She looked into his eyes and they were masked with calm. He took a deep breath. "Are you sure you want to hear this, Hina…?" he asked in a low voice. She nodded looking him in the eye; she sat down where his head was lying not 10 minutes before, placed his head on her lap and stroked his hair reassuringly. She still hadn't said a word. So Naruto took a deep breath and began. "It… was our last mission a group of us were decoys so the other team could destroy communication towers and a supply bridge." He stopped and took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds, then let it out. "Obito, one of my best friends, was in our group and we were behind a dirt barricade, down on our knees," his heart and breathing increased, "Obito was about to throw a grenade… but it went off in his and… and… Kami! It blew of his head, scorched his skin, and disintegrated his hand! And… KAMI, his head rolled off and bumped my… my knee. Th-then they threw kuni at his body… just to be sure… what was left of his body was mangled and torn. He was the first to die out of the group of 30 we took… I was frozen… Obito was… dead… he d-died in front of m-me." He looked like he wanted to throw up and cry and scream all at once. "That was… the reason…I… I got shot. I… was frozen looking at O-obito's head…" he dry sobbed. "Then Mizuki, my second in command… deemed me… dead." Hinata inhaled sharply. "I tried to say I wasn't but I couldn't speak… I found out later that they had shot me just above my heart. Almost enough to kill me. Then Mizuki called a retreat. So they left Obito's body and me… there… That's when everything went black. I distantly felt hands lift me… then nothing." He paused and closed his eyes. He stopped talking for a long time.

"Do you want some water, Naru?" she asked still gently stroking his hair, a movement he seemed to revel in. He nodded. So Hinata carefully untangled herself. As soon as she was gone, Kyubi came out of hiding he had been hiding in Naruto's room, and curled up his abdomen. Hinata returned the moment he started to stroke the little fox's head. They got back in their same positions, except Kyubi was on Naruto. Hinata gave him a long drink of water.

After, he took a deep breath and continued. "I woke up in a place that looked like a hospital, but something wasn't right. I wasn't in a hospital; I was in a laboratory. I had this…feeling of dread and unease. It felt dark…and hopeless… and suffocating. The only hope there is for death. After being there for countless hours, they retrieved me and healed me enough to survive tests." He shuttered violently. "The day I was healed enough to participate in the experimentation, I saw them kill Mizuki… trying to give him night vision…" He took a shuttering breath. He squeezed his eyes shut. "The rest of them… died… one… by one. And I watched them all…" he stopped and swallowed hard, "die." He whispered the harsh word as he shivered. After a long time he opened his tightly closed eyes and looked at her. "They tortured them. By the time… they did… kill them… they were broken. They didn't want to live." Hinata looked horrified. "**I** didn't wasn't live. I kept on living though… because I knew I couldn't leave you here… waiting for me." He wasn't really talking to her anymore it was more just to say it out loud. "When I did escape… it was because Haku heard me taking to myself, half insane, and he took pity on me… when he 

heard me talk about you, our beauty, your kindness, your courage, your eyes, and hair, but mostly your inner beauty that out shines all else. I spoke of my love. I said you were my angel. He smuggled me out and we made it to his home. He was a healer. He patched up my body. But he couldn't do anything about the torture I endured. Eventually he and I became friends."

"A few days before I was fully healed, they found me. They caught… they caught Haku. He was yelling at me to run, to get away. They were his last words. He… he was pined to the ground by a few guys and a forth one ran him through his heart. He froze and died face down in the mud. I regained control of my body and ran. All of the injuries you treated on me were from the chase. I traveled for three months trying to get back to Konoha when I finally found some familiar landmarks. I ran as fast as I could to the gate and passed out." He blinked and seemed to come back to himself. "You know the rest." He drew his mask back into place. Kyubi jumped off him and Naruto started to sit up. Hinata's grip on him tightened.

"No," she whispered. "Just let me hold you a little longer." He rolled onto his side so they were face to face with her arms around him. She gripped him tighter and buried her face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder. He inhaled deeply and exhaled before his hands came around her gently, holding her to him. He could feel the worry and fear and love radiating off her like a boiler. It made him ache.

And he didn't know why.

* * *

Owari


End file.
